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Fund-Raising Is Lagging, So Far, for Inaugural Plans

President Obama’s inaugural committee is at least $10 million short of its $50 million fund-raising goal, officials have told top donors, with just over a week before Mr. Obama is sworn in for his second term.

The shortfall was revealed in a conference call on Thursday afternoon with members of the inaugural finance committee, and it may be even larger.

Some donors and lobbyists involved in the effort said that the committee has raised just $30 million for the Jan. 21 celebration, though inaugural officials said that figure was outdated.

The committee is particularly struggling to bring in corporate money after Mr. Obama’s announcement last month that he would accept contributions from businesses, a change from his position in 2009. A list of donors posted by the Presidential Inaugural Committee on Jan. 4 includes just a handful of business donors.

Aides to Mr. Obama believe they are still on track to make their budget.

More corporate donors and more of Mr. Obama’s longtime supporters were expected to appear on an updated list that was to be published on Friday.

But the difficulties reflect both the exhaustion of donors after Mr. Obama’s record-breaking re-election campaign and leftover tensions with the business community, with which the administration has sometimes clashed. Some people involved in planning inauguration events said they believed that businesses were unwilling to contribute because they did not want to be associated with Washington after the contentious debate over the fiscal crisis.

But Mr. Obama’s team is also butting heads with longtime allies, pushing many of them to make contribute even more now in order to qualify for the top-tier inaugural packages.

In some cases, the donors have already raised millions of dollars for Mr. Obama and say they believe they have already earned the right to attend the events.

The packages — each named after a former president — include access to the inauguration’s parade of exclusive receptions and other events.

Some donors will be allowed to accompany Mr. Obama and other elected officials on the viewing stand where the president will watch the inauguration parade.

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Others may attend a “candlelight reception” at the National Building Museum, where a photo reception with the president, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and their wives will cost as much as $100,000.

Donors, for their part, have also pressured Mr. Obama’s aides to offer firmed-up schedules so that they can plan their travel, challenging a staff that has roughly five weeks to orchestrate an elaborate sequence of concerts, volunteering events and parties.

One preliminary list of events, sent to members of Mr. Obama’s finance team by Sam Brown, a senior inaugural official, included a wry note: “This is outrageously subject to change, but something to placate the vultures.”

The drive for money has led to some frustration on both sides amid continued wrangling over donations and access. Donors and aides are negotiating the price of tickets to exclusive events and other benefits.

And the campaign is still rolling out new offers, including a “Daily Deal” e-mailed to top donors.

One recent Daily Deal featured two front-row seats at the “Kid’s Inaugural,” headlined by the pop singer Katy Perry. (Some donors were annoyed when tickets to the event were pulled from one of the inauguration packages after a venue change left fewer seats available.)

The administration has planned a more modest array of events this time around, reflecting a less jubilant public mood than four years ago and diminished demand among Obama supporters.

But while some events, like the inaugural ball on the night of Jan. 21, have sold out quickly, others have done a less brisk business, leading Mr. Obama’s team to discount some packages and offer new ones at relatively low prices.

In an e-mail to top donors on Monday, Rufus Gifford, Mr. Obama’s finance director, announced a “Monroe Package” for $7,500.

“I’d like to extend my sincere thanks for your incredible effort over the past two years to help the campaign,” Mr. Gifford wrote. “You’re among the first to know about the Monroe Package, specifically put together for major supporters like yourself. I have personally customized this package to include preferred tickets to all of Monday’s festivities, including two V.I.P. tickets to the Inaugural Parade, and two tickets to the Official Inaugural Ball in the Premium Section.”

A version of this article appears in print on January 12, 2013, on Page A11 of the New York edition with the headline: Fund-Raising Is Lagging, So Far, for Inaugural Plans. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe